Autopneumatic music-playing instrument.



No. 888,559. PATENTED MAY 26, 1908. F. 0. WHITE.

AUTOPNEUMATIG MUSIC PLAYING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED Mugs. 1907 1n: NORRIS PETERS 1:0,, wAsnma-mrv, n. ::v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. WHITE, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WILCOX dz WHITE COMPANY, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

AUTOPNEUMATIC MUSIC- PLAYING- INSTRUMENT.

Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Autopneumatic Music-Playing Instruments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in autopneumatic music playing instruments, in which a tracker-board is, employed over which perforated note sheets travel for the purpose of opening and closing ducts in the tracker-board at the proper time to produce the desired composition. For several years last past, the majority of instruments of this type have had tracker-boards provided with 58 ducts, and as a result a very large amount of music of the roll type has been produced adapted to 58 note instruments. Of recent years music playing instruments having tracker-boards of larger compass have appeared upon the market having, for example, 65 ducts. The result is various means have been employed whereby a certain number of tracker ducts could be cut off in such instruments so that the user could still use his old music. Much annoyance and com plaint has resulted because of the careless use of this old music, the performer forgetting -to cut out the unavailed of ducts in the tracker-board.

The object of my invention is to overcome this cause of annoyance.

In the preferred form of my invention, the ducts, or action valves controlled thereby, which would not be used with the old type of music rolls of smaller compass, are normally closed ofi, or ineifective. When, however, a note sheet of larger compass is introduced they are automatically brought into operative relation with said note sheet, whereby the full capacity of the tracker-board will be available.

In the accompanying drawings I have dia grammatically illustrated such parts of a music playing instrument as are necessary for a clear understanding of the invention, the samebeing broken away at the center.

1 represents a tracker-board which may be assumed to have 65 perforations therein, with a corresponding number of ducts leading off in the usual way to the primary action pneumatics.

2 is a music roll mounted in bearings 3-4,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. May 23, 1907.

Patented May 26, 1908.

Serial No. 375,195.

the free end of the music sheet being attached in any well known manner to the driving spindle or receiving spool 5. The music roll 2 shown is of the full width, namely, having a capacity for 65 notes, thus controlling all of the ducts in the trackerboard. The bearing 3 in this instance is fixed, while the bearing 4 is longitudinally slidable, being mounted in a suitable support and being normally pressed inwardly by action of spring 4 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 represent certain primary valves for the action. Two of these valves 7 and 8 are for one end of the action, while three of them 9, 10, and 11 are for the other end of the action.

12 is a casing or housing over the valves 7 and 8. 13 is a casing or housing over the valves 9, 10 and 11. These housings separate said valves from the atmosphere, atmosphere being admitted only when the inlet valves 14 and 15 therein are opened.

17 is a rod connecting inlet valves 14 and 15, which latter are so mounted that when the rod is moved in one direction, both valves will open, and when moved in another direc tion, both valves will close. 16 is a spring, the function of which is to cause the valves 14 and 15 to normally close.

18 is an abutment which may be adjustable on rod 17, and which stands to the rear of the bearing 4 and in line therewith.

As shown, the music roll 2 is of such length that when it is inserted in place in the usual manner, the bearing 4 will press the rod 17 in a direction to open valves 14 and 15, and put the primary action valves 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 in communication with the atmosphere, whereupon said valves will be rendered eii'ectively operative. As soon as the roll 2 is removed, the bearing 4 advances and valves 1.4 and 15 will close, thus cutting the valves 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 out of communication with the atmosphere and rendering them ineii'ective. It follows, therefore, if an old music roll of the 58 note type (which is shorter than the more modern rolls with the 65 note capacity) is inserted, the bearing 4 will not be moved sufficiently to the right (as viewed in the drawings) to shift the abutment 18 and to open valves 14 and 15, whereby it follows that the primary valves 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 will perform no function because even though opened no air will be admitted to their respective action pneumatics. Thus, at once it becomes apparent that the owner r the proper ducts in the tracker.

of music rolls of different lengths may employ the same freely and without regard to the necessity of making any shift in the apparatus, and the music will be properly rendered.

It may be observed that I have indicated only five primary valves instead of seven as being normally ineffective. This is because the margin of the ordinary 58 note sheet will cover at all times the other two tracker ducts. Of course, as many primary valves may be under this control as desired.

1 have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate the usual action mechanism and other parts of an auto pneumatic music playing instrument, since the same are understood and since my invention depends in no way upon the particular form thereof. Then one of the shorter music rolls is employed, to wit, one of the 58 note variety, it is always customary to introduce what is termed an extension clutch to set the roll off from bearing 3 sufliciently so that the perforations in the sheet will register with Ordinarily this extension clutch shifts one edge of the paper to the right a distance of two ducts in the tracker-board in other words, about one fourth of an inch. These extension clutches are well known and in common use and re quire no illustration herein. They are always employed where it is desired to use 58 note roll in a note instrument.

Each action valve is moved in the usual' the action valves may be normally ineffect ive to be rendered effective only by the introduction of a roll of the proper length. Again, of course, where two tracker-boards are used having differently spaced ducts, all of the actions controlled from said boards might be rendered normally ineffective, one

of the other to be rendered effective by the introduction of a roll of a size particularly ada ted thereto.

W hat I claim is 1. In a music playing instrument, a tracker-board having ducts therein, a music roll support, a receiving spindle or spool, action devices in communication with said tracker-board and including primary pneumatics and primary valves, means for rendering said valves normally ineffective, said means including a housing normally separating said valves from the atmosphere, and means for opening said housing to put said valves'in communication with the atmos phere upon the insertion of a proper music roll.

2. In a music playing instrument, a tracker board, music roll supports, action devices in communication with the tracker board, and including primary pneumatics and primary valves, means for rendering certain of said valves normally ineffective, said means including a closed housing separating said valves from the atmosphere, and means for opening said housing to put said valves in communication with the atmosphere, said means including mechanism leading to and operated from said music roll support upon the insertion of a proper music roll.

3. In a music playing instrument, a tracker board having ducts therein, music roll suports, action devices adapted to the tracker ldoard and including primary pneumatics and primary valves, means for rendering said. valves normally ineffective, said means including a housing normally separating said valves from the atmosphere, a valve for said housing, an operating device for said valve arranged adjacent to said music roll support and to be actuated by and upon the insertion of a music roll of the proper length.

FRANK C. VVI'II'IE.

Vitnesses FRED E. BEMIS, ALBERT G. KUIINLE. 

